Sources
- Leviticus (538-332 BCE)
- Halachah Yomit (modern blog on orthodox Jewish law)
- Babylonian Talmud (600 CE)
- Jerusalem Talmud (350-400 CE)
- Moses ben Nachman, aka "Ramban" or "Nachmanides" (1194-1270)
- HaKtav VeHaKabbalah ("The Writing and the Kabbalah") anti-Reform 19th century Torah commentary by Yaakov Tzvi Mecklenburg
- Midrash Tanchuma (400-600 CE)
- Vayikra Rabbah (400-600 CE)
- ReformJudaism.org
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ דַּבֵּ֛ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֨ה עָשָׂ֜ר י֗וֹם לַחֹ֤דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי֙ הַזֶּ֔ה חַ֧ג הַסֻּכּ֛וֹת שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים לַיי׃ בַּיּ֥וֹם הָרִאשׁ֖וֹן מִקְרָא־קֹ֑דֶשׁ כׇּל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֥א תַעֲשֽׂוּ׃ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֔ים תַּקְרִ֥יבוּ אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַיי
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֡י מִקְרָא־קֹ֩דֶשׁ֩ יִהְיֶ֨ה לָכֶ֜ם וְהִקְרַבְתֶּ֨ם אִשֶּׁ֤ה לַֽיי עֲצֶ֣רֶת הִ֔וא כׇּל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֥א תַעֲשֽׂוּ׃ אֵ֚לֶּה מוֹעֲדֵ֣י יי אֲשֶׁר־תִּקְרְא֥וּ אֹתָ֖ם מִקְרָאֵ֣י קֹ֑דֶשׁ לְהַקְרִ֨יב אִשֶּׁ֜ה לַיי עֹלָ֧ה וּמִנְחָ֛ה זֶ֥בַח וּנְסָכִ֖ים דְּבַר־י֥וֹם בְּיוֹמֽוֹ׃ מִלְּבַ֖ד שַׁבְּתֹ֣ת יי וּמִלְּבַ֣ד מַתְּנֽוֹתֵיכֶ֗ם וּמִלְּבַ֤ד כׇּל־נִדְרֵיכֶם֙ וּמִלְּבַד֙ כׇּל־נִדְבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּתְּנ֖וּ לַיי׃
אַ֡ךְ בַּחֲמִשָּׁה֩ עָשָׂ֨ר י֜וֹם לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י בְּאׇסְפְּכֶם֙ אֶת־תְּבוּאַ֣ת הָאָ֔רֶץ תָּחֹ֥גּוּ אֶת־חַג־יי שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים בַּיּ֤וֹם הָֽרִאשׁוֹן֙ שַׁבָּת֔וֹן וּבַיּ֥וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֖י שַׁבָּתֽוֹן׃ וּלְקַחְתֶּ֨ם לָכֶ֜ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הָרִאשׁ֗וֹן פְּרִ֨י עֵ֤ץ הָדָר֙ כַּפֹּ֣ת תְּמָרִ֔ים וַעֲנַ֥ף עֵץ־עָבֹ֖ת וְעַרְבֵי־נָ֑חַל וּשְׂמַחְתֶּ֗ם לִפְנֵ֛י יי אֱלֹקֵיכֶ֖ם שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים׃ וְחַגֹּתֶ֤ם אֹתוֹ֙ חַ֣ג לַֽיי שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים בַּשָּׁנָ֑ה חֻקַּ֤ת עוֹלָם֙ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖י תָּחֹ֥גּוּ אֹתֽוֹ׃
בַּסֻּכֹּ֥ת תֵּשְׁב֖וּ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים כׇּל־הָֽאֶזְרָח֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יֵשְׁב֖וּ בַּסֻּכֹּֽת׃ לְמַ֘עַן֮ יֵדְע֣וּ דֹרֹֽתֵיכֶם֒ כִּ֣י בַסֻּכּ֗וֹת הוֹשַׁ֙בְתִּי֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּהוֹצִיאִ֥י אוֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲנִ֖י יי אֱלֹקֵיכֶֽם׃ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶת־מֹעֲדֵ֖י יי אֶל־בְּנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ}
Adonai spoke to Moses, saying, "Say to the Israelite people: On the fifteenth day of this seventh month there shall be the Feast of Booths to Adonai [to last] seven days. The first day shall be a sacred occasion—you shall not work at your occupations; seven days you shall bring offerings by fire to Adonai."
"On the eighth day you shall observe a sacred occasion and bring an offering by fire to Adonai; it is a solemn gathering: you shall not work at your occupations. Those are the set times of Adonai that you shall celebrate as sacred occasions, bringing offerings by fire to Adonai—burnt offerings, meal offerings, sacrifices, and libations, on each day what is proper to it—apart from the sabbaths of Adonai, and apart from your gifts and from all your votive offerings and from all your freewill offerings that you give to Adonai."
"Mark, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the yield of your land, you shall observe the festival of Adonai [to last] seven days: a complete rest on the first day, and a complete rest on the eighth day. On the first day you shall take the product of hadar trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before your God Adonai seven days. You shall observe it as a festival of Adonai for seven days in the year; you shall observe it in the seventh month as a law for all time, throughout the ages."
"You shall live in booths seven days; all citizens in Israel shall live in booths, in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt—I, your God Adonai." So Moses declared to the Israelites the set times of Adonai.
- The Sukkah must be made of three walls and Sechach (the roof). The walls may be made of any material which can withstand a normal wind, excluding sheets and the like which cannot and are thus invalid.
- If the walls are made from metal, plastic, or anything else which does not grow from the ground, one should not place the Sechach directly on them; rather, one should place some wooden beams on top of the walls and place the Sechach on these beams, for these beams grow from the ground and thus are incapable of becoming impure.
- The Sechach must be made of something that grows from the ground, for instance, wooden slats, tree branches, and the like. Likewise, it must be detached from the ground as opposed to a tree which is still attached to the ground and cannot be used. Similarly, the Sechach must be made of material that is unable to become impure, excluding foods or wooden vessels such as wooden crates or chests, for these are indeed capable of becoming impure. A mat made of straw which is usually made for lying on is capable of becoming impure and is thus invalid for use as Sechach. However, mats made of reeds (or bamboo) specially made for use as Sechach are completely valid for use as Sechach.
- Decorations hung from the Sechach to beautify the Sukkah may in fact invalidate the Sukkah in certain instances since they are not valid to be used as Sechach. Therefore, Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l writes that one must be sure to hang these decorations in close proximity to the Sechach, i.e. within four Tefachim (32 cm). The decorations should not hang down more than 32 cm from the Sechach, for they can invalidate the Sukkah in this way, as we have explained. However, when the decorations are within 32 cm of the Sechach, they are considered to be a part of the Sechach and there is no concern for invalidation of the Sukkah, even if they are quite large.
- The Sechach should be made in a light manner, such that large stars can be seen through it. Nevertheless, even if one made the Sechach in a way that stars cannot be seen through it, it is still valid. However, if one made the Sechach so thick that rain cannot pass through it, one should be stringent and invalidate such a Sukkah. One should likewise be careful not to build his Sukkah under a balcony or roof, for this kind of Sukkah is invalid according to the letter of the law.
- On Erev Sukkot, one should not eat over an egg’s volume (approximately 54 grams) of bread past the tenth halachic hour of the day (from approximately 4:00 PM and on), so that one will be able to eat the festive holiday meal that night with an appetite. Some are stringent and abstain from this beginning from halachic midday. When necessary, one may rely on the more lenient view.
- There is a positive Torah commandment to eat an olive’s volume (approximately 27 grams) of bread in the Sukkah on the first night of Sukkot. Before eating, one should have in mind that he is sitting in the Sukkah in commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt and that he is fulfilling a positive Torah commandment with this eating.
- On the other days of the Sukkot holiday (besides the second night in the Diaspora), there is no obligation to have a bread meal; however, if one wishes to eat more than an egg’s volume of bread (approximately 54 grams), one must do so in the Sukkah. In this case, one must recite the blessing of “Baruch Ata Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’Olam Asher Kideshanu Bemitzvotav Vetzivanu Leeshev Ba’Sukkah,” as we have discussed at length previously.
- One may eat fruits, vegetables, and rice outside of the Sukkah; one may certainly drink water or juice outside of the Sukkah. If one wishes to eat more than an egg’s volume of cake or other pastries, one must do so in the Sukkah, however, one would not recite the “Leeshev Ba’Sukkah” blessing in this instance. If one plans on eating an amount of cake or pastries which others would consider a meal (approximately 162 grams), one would need to recite the blessing of “Leeshev Ba’Sukkah.”
- When one eats a food in the Sukkah which requires the “Leeshev Ba’Sukkah” blessing, it is preferable to recite this blessing before one sits down to eat. After reciting the blessing, one should have a seat, recite the appropriate blessing for what he is eating, and begin to enjoy his meal.
Guardians of gardens and orchards are exempt from building a sukkah both during the day and at night. The Gemara asks: Why are they exempt from the mitzvah of sukkah?
Abaye said: The reason for the exemption is the verse: “In sukkot shall you reside” (Leviticus 23:42), which the Sages interpreted to mean "reside as you dwell in your permanent home." Since preparing a sukkah that is a fully equipped dwelling in the orchard far from his house would involve considerable exertion, the mitzvah does not apply to him.
Said Rebbi Jehudah: “you should dwell in huts,” [implies] "a hut made of anything."
Rebbi Jehudah was saying, it is an argument de minore ad maius1 that the hut should come only from the Four Kinds. Since the lulav which is not used in nights as in days may come only from the Four Kinds, it is only logical that a hut which is used by nights as well as by days should come only from the Four Kinds.
They told Rebbi Jehudah, any argument de minore ad maius which you argue in the beginning as a restriction but it turns out in the end to be a leniency is no argument de minore ad maius.
As a consequence, if he did not find of the Four Kinds, should he sit without a hut? But the Torah said, “you should dwell in huts,” a hut made of anything.
1 de minore ad maius an inference from smaller (more specific) to bigger (more general); in rabbinic logic this is a way to apply a rule to ensure you are being as strict as possible
פרי עץ הדר שטעם עצו ופריו שוה הדר הדר באילנו משנה לשנה וזה אתרוג לשון רש"י (רש"י על ויקרא כ״ג:מ׳) והן אסמכתות שעשו רבותינו (ת"כ כאן סוכה לה) לקבלתם ור"א כתב והאמת אמרו כי אין פרי עץ יותר הדר ממנו ודרשו בו "הדר באילנו" אסמכתא והנכון בעיני כי האילן הנקרא בלשון ארמית אתרוג נקרא שמו בלשון הקודש הדר כי פירוש אתרוג חמדה כדמתרגמינן נחמד למראה (בראשית ב ט) דמרגג למיחזי לא תחמוד (דברים ה יח) לא תרוג ואמרינן מכל שפר ארג נכסין ולשון חמדה והדר שוים בטעם ונקרא העץ והפרי בשם אחד כי כן המנהג ברוב הפירות תאנה אגוז רמון זית וזולתם וכן זה שם העץ והפרי שניהם בארמית אתרוג ובלשון הקודש הדר ופשוטו של מקרא יאמר שנקח לנו פרי עץ הדר ונקח כפות תמרים וענף אחד מעץ עבות וענף אחד מערבי נחל והנה הם אחד מכל מין כי כפות תמרים מחובר אל ולקחתם לכם שהם הרבים כי הלכה היא כרבי עקיבא שאומר (סוכה לד) כשם שלולב אחד ואתרוג אחד כך הדס אחד וערבה אחת ולכך תרגם אונקלוס (תרגום אונקלוס על ויקרא כ״ג:מ׳) בכולן בלשון רבים מחובר אל "ולקחתם לכם" שהם הרבים ובטעם המצוה הזאת אמרו (תענית ב) על דרך האגדות שהמינין הללו באין לרצות על המים ועל דרך האמת "פרי עץ הדר" הוא הפרי שבו רוב התאוה ובו חטא אדם הראשון שנאמר (בראשית ג ו) ותרא האשה כי טוב העץ למאכל וכי תאוה הוא לעינים ונחמד העץ להשכיל ותקח מפריו ותאכל והנה החטא בו לבדו ואנחנו נרצה לפניו עם שאר המינים ו"כפות תמרים" הוא הראש הקו אמצעי כפול וגבוה על כולם "וענף עץ עבות" רמז לשלש ספירות בבד אחד כענין שנאמר מידי אביר יעקב (שם מט כד) "וערבי נחל" כענין שנאמר (תהלים סח ה) סולו לרוכב בערבות כי יתערבו מדת הדין במדת הרחמים מכאן תבין ותדע שאין האתרוג עמהם באגודה והוא מעכב בהם כי הוא כנגד העצרת שהוא רגל בפני עצמו ותשלומין דראשון והנה הם אחד בכח ולא בפועל וכבר פירשתי (רמב"ן על ויקרא כ״ג:ל״ו) טעם זה והנה טעם כל הפרשה תחוגו את חג השם הגדול שבעת ימים שבמעשה בראשית ותסמכו להם השמיני עצרת כענין שנאמר למנצח על השמינית (תהלים ו א) וגם באותן השבעה תקחו בהם פרי עץ הדר והלולב באגודה ולכך הקדים האתרוג אבל בשמיני אינו צריך כי הוא עצמו הדר וזה טעם וחגותם אותו חג לה' שבעת ימים בשנה שתחוגו שבעת הימים עם השנה ענין סבוב והקפה מלשון וחוג שמים (איוב כב יד) ובמחוגה יתארהו (ישעיהו מד יג) וכן המון חוגג (תהלים מב ה) וכבר רמזו רבותינו הסוד הזה אמרו בויקרא רבה (ל ט) פרי עץ הדר זה הקב"ה שנאמר (תהלים צו ו) הוד והדר לפניו כפות תמרים זה הקב"ה שנאמר (שם צב יג) צדיק כתמר יפרח וענף עץ עבות זה הקב"ה שנאמר (זכריה א ח) והוא עומד בין ההדסים אשר במצולה וערבי נחל זה הקב"ה שנאמר (תהלים סח ה) סולו לרוכב בערבות ובמדרשו של רבי נחוניה בן הקנה מאי פרי עץ הדר כדמתרגמינן פירי אילנא אתרוגין ולולבין ומאי הדר היינו הדר הכל והיינו הדר שיר השירים דכתיב בהו (ו י) מי זאת הנשקפה כמו שחר וגו' ולמה נקרא שמו הדר אל תקרי הדר אלא הדר זה אתרוג שהוא נפרד מאגד הלולב ואין מצות לולב קיימת אלא בו והוא אגוד עם הכל שעם כל אחד הוא ועם כולם יחד הוא ומאי לולב כנגד חוט השדרה וענף עץ עבות שענפיו חופין את רובו משל לאדם שבזרועותיו יגן על ראשו ענף לשמאל עבות לימין נמצא עץ באמצע ולמה נאמר בו "עץ" שהוא שורש האילן ומאי ערבי נחל על שם המקום שהם קבועים בו ששמו נחל דכתיב (קהלת א ז) כל הנחלים הולכים אל הים וגו' ומאי ניהו ים הוי אומר זה אתרוג ומנא לן דכל מדה ומדה מכל אלו השבעה איקרי נחל שנאמר (במדבר כא יט) וממתנה נחליאל אל תקרי נחליאל אלא נחלי אל וכו' והמדרש הזה על דעת שלשה הדסים ושתי ערבות לולב אחד ואתרוג אחד והיא הלכה לדברי הגאונים והראשונים כולם:
And also on those seven days ye shall take the fruit of the tree called ‘hadar’ [i.e., the ethrog] together with the palm-branch in union [with the myrtle-branch and the willow]... And this is the explanation of the verse, ‘v’chagothem’ (and ye shall keep it a feast) unto the Eternal seven days ‘in the year,’ meaning that you are to keep it seven days “with the year,” that is with the surrounding and circular movement [around the altar in procession with the four species]...
And what is the lulav? It is symbolic of the spinal cord. And boughs of thick trees, meaning a tree the branches of which cover its larger portion. This may be likened to a person who with his arms protects his head. Thus the bough is to the left, and the thickness to the right, and the tree in the middle. And why is it called eitz (tree)? Because it is the root of the tree.
And what are ‘arvei nachal’ (willows of the brook)? They are so called on account of the name of the place wherein they are affixed, which is nachal (brook, river), as it is written, All the rivers run into the sea etc. And what is ‘the sea’? I must say that it alludes to the etrog...
"You shall take the product of hadar trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before your God Adonai seven days."
This text is related to Psalm 35:10: ALL MY BONES SHALL SAY: ADONAI, WHO IS LIKE YOU?
David has stated this verse beautifully. You yourself know that the lulav is like a human spine, the myrtle is like the eyes, the willow is like the lips, and the etrog is like the heart.
Why does the text say "ha'ezrach?"
Ezrach means native-born. Ha'ezrach [lit. "the" native-born] is to exclude women [from the obligation of dwelling in the booth, since the definite article denotes an exclusion. It was necessary that this exclusion be stated] so that you should not deduce from a similarity of expressions of the fifteenth day stated with reference to the Festival of Unleavened Bread, that women are obliged to dwell in a booth just as they are obliged to eat unleavened bread [on the night of Passover].
Therefore He says all that are native in Israel, meaning all who are of Israel, from the greatest of them even to the least of them, [to teach] that it is not sufficient that one of a household should dwell in a booth and the rest dwell in homes, but they should all dwell in booths. It is possible that the verse [uses the word ezrach] to teach that all who are like a leafy tree in its native soil in their homes [are obliged to dwell in booths], except for those who are on a sea voyage, and those who travel on the road [who are exempt from dwelling in a booth].
"And the Eternal will create over the whole habitation of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be a canopy. And there shall be a ‘succah’ (pavilion) for a shadow in the day-time from the heat..."
And since Scripture has already explained that the cloud of the Eternal was upon them by day and the pillar of fire by night, He just says here, that I made the children of Israel to abide in booths, [without explaining what kind of booths, but meaning] “I made them booths out of the clouds of My Glory to protect them.”
Thus He commanded that at the beginning of the summer season we are to remember the exodus from Egypt by [calling] its month [the first of the months], and by observing its festival [of Passover], and He further commanded the remembrance of the continuous miracle which was done for them throughout the days of their stay in the wilderness, at the beginning of the winter season.
And according to the opinion of the Sage who says that they made themselves booths in the literal sense, [we must explain that the reason why this commandment is to be observed at the onset of the winter season], is because they began to make them at the beginning of the winter, on account of the cold, as is customary in camps, and therefore He commanded [that we also make] them at that time. The sense of the remembrance is that they should know and remember that they were in the wilderness, and did not live in homes, and they found no city of habitation for forty years, but G-d was with them and they lacked nothing.
"So that your generations will know that in Sukkot..."
The clouds of glory began to appear above the people of Israel in Sukkot, as it says (Exodus 12:37): “The children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Sukkot.” In the Mechilta, Rabbi Akiva says: “Sukkot refers solely to the clouds of glory.” It seems that this is why Scripture wrote בסכות with the ו (full spelling); it teaches us about the place where the clouds of glory first appeared, for the name of the place is always spelled in the full form with the ו — סכות.
לְמַ֘עַן֮ יֵדְע֣וּ דֹרֹֽתֵיכֶם֒ כִּ֣י בַסֻּכּ֗וֹת הוֹשַׁ֙בְתִּי֙
This is why the cantillation mark over the words כי בסכות is a רביעי, which is a stop, even though it might have been more appropriate to use a מהפך to connect the phrase “that in the sukkot” with the phrase “I caused B'nei Yisrael to dwell” [if it were referring to the booths and not the place].
The commentaries discuss why we were commanded on the 15th of the seventh month, which is the beginning of the cold, rainy season, to leave our permanent dwelling places and stay in a temporary abode. This teaches us that Hashem intended that each Jew should recognize that the honor of his lofty spiritual soul is above the heavens. Its permanent dwelling place is there, and it only came into this world to have a temporary dwelling.
The phrase “so that your generations will know” fits well with this explanation, because according to the other explanations it should have said, “so your generations will remember.”
The Vilna Gaon answers the question raised by commentators: Why do we celebrate Sukkot in Tishrei? Since it corresponds to the clouds of glory it should be celebrated in Nissan when they were given!
The answer is that after they made the Golden Calf the clouds of glory departed, and the clouds returned on the morrow of Yom Kippur, when “Moshe called the whole community of the children of Israel to assemble” (Exodus 35:1). That is why we celebrate Sukkot on the 15th of Tishrei.
Another interpretation of "Complete (sova) joy" (Psalms 16:11) - these are the seven2 commandments of the festival, and these are them: the four species that are in the lulav, the sukkah, the festival offering and the offering of joy.
If there is an offering of joy, why is there a festival offering; and if there is a festival offering, why is there an offering of joy? Rabbi Avin said, "[There is a relevant] parable about two that went into a judge and we do not know who was victorious. Rather we know that the one that [comes out] carrying a palm branch is the winner. So [too] Israel and the nations of the world come and prosecute [each other] before the Holy One, blessed be He, on Rosh Hashanah and we do not know who won. Rather when we see that Israel is coming out from in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, with their lulavs and citrons in their hands, we know that Israel are the winners (and that creates a need to offer an offering of joy, as well as the holiday offering).
2 "sheva" (seven) is a pun with "sova" (joy) which is how the rabbi made this connection
Another explanation: "The fruit of a beautiful tree" - these are [referring to] Israel.
Just like this citron (etrog), which has taste and has smell, so too Israel has among them people that have Torah and have good deeds.
"The branches of a date palm" - these are [referring to] Israel. Just like this date, which has taste and has no smell, so too Israel has among them those that have Torah but do not have good deeds.
"And a branch of a braided tree (a myrtle)" - these are [referring to] Israel. Just like this myrtle, which has smell and has no taste, so too Israel has among them those that have good deeds but do not have Torah.
"And brook willows" - these are [referring to] Israel. Just like this willow, which has no smell and has no taste, so too Israel has among them people that have no Torah and have no good deeds.
And what does the Holy One, blessed be He, do to them? To destroy them is impossible, but rather the Holy One, blessed be He, said "bind them all together [into] one grouping and these will atone for those." And if you will have done that, I will be elevated at that time.
This is [the meaning of] what is written (Amos 9:6), "He Who built the upper chambers in the heavens" (indicating his elevation). And when is He elevated? When they make one grouping, as it is stated (Ibid.), "and established His grouping on the earth."
The fruit of a beautiful tree (ets hadar) refers to our father, Avraham, who the Holy One, blessed be He, graced (hider/hadar) with a good old age.
Kappot of a date palm refer to Yitschak, who was bound ("kafut" which is spelled with the same letters as kappot) and tied up on top of the altar.
A branch of a braided tree (a myrtle) refers to Yakov. Just like this myrtle bustles with leaves, so too was Yakov bustling with children.
Brook willows refers to Yosef. Just like this willow gets withered before these three [other] species, so too did Yosef die before his brothers.
Another explanation:
The fruit of a beautiful tree (ets hadar) refers to Sarah, who the Holy One, blessed be He, graced (hider) with a good old age,
The branches of a date palm refers to Rivka. Just like this date palm, it has food and it has thorns, so too Rivkah brought up a righteous one and an evildoer.
A branch of a braided tree (a myrtle) refers to Leah. Just like this myrtle bustles with leaves, so too was Leah bustling with children.
Brook willows refers to Rachel. Just like this willow gets withered before these three [other] species, so too did Rachel die before her sister.
by CE Harrison (via ReformJudaism.org)
While all Jewish holidays serve as great opportunities to practice audacious hospitality, Sukkot has always stood out to me as the most audaciously hospitable of Jewish holidays. What other time of year do we build a temporary makeshift house through the commandment of inviting ushpizin (guests), with the goal of inviting others into it and dwelling together as a community?
In addition to the sukkah itself, we can find similar imagery of audacious hospitality in the arba minim, the “four species” associated with Sukkot: citron, palm, myrtle, and willow. These symbols can, in fact, exemplify our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as each one is unique in its own right but stronger when bound together as a whole.
The functions of the four species are defined by both their smell and taste, or lack thereof, along with some interesting imagery from the Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 30:12):
- The etrog has both taste and smell, representing people who both perform good deeds and have Torah (knowledge).
- The lulav has taste but no smell, representing those who do not use their knowledge to perform good deeds.
- The hadass (myrtle) has smell but no taste, representing those who perform good deeds but lack the knowledge to excel at them.
- The aravah (willow) has no taste and no smell, representing those who lack both.
I can’t help but think about how this translates into implementing audacious hospitality in our synagogues. Each of us is in a different stage of our journeys as Jews, including our journey to create more diverse, inclusive and welcoming communities; the same is true of our congregations.
Some of us, like the etrog, have lots of experience and wisdom. Maybe we’ve been doing inclusivity and anti-bias work for years and have an ever-evolving knowledge when it comes to dismantling inequality and establishing equitable practices in our institutions.
Some of us, like the lulav, may be well-versed in history, knowledgeable of inclusive language, and familiar with race and queer theory, but haven’t really put any of it to use.
Some of us, like the hadass, may go out of our way to be kind toward people of different backgrounds but lack a fuller understanding of our (and our institution’s) privileges and implicit biases – and how to truly confront them as an advocate.
Some of us, like the aravah, simply don’t know where to start at all.
And yet, despite all these differences, each of us has something to offer.
The lulavim among us can learn how to put our knowledge into action; how to use our wisdom to think outside the box to make our communities more welcoming.
The hadassim can learn how to make our impact match our intent by learning, reflecting, and growing in our inclusivity work.
The etrogim, even with our knowledge and good deeds, can both teach others and also see our past selves reflected in them.
And the aravot among us – those of us who are just beginning our journeys to any form of audacious hospitality work – can both learn from everyone else and remind them that we all had to start somewhere, that we as Jews do not progress by shaming one another but by lifting one another up.
All of us – no matter which of the four species we most closely identify with – has something to learn and to offer. When we come together, when we take each of our skillsets, each of our stories and experiences, each of our gifts and flaws and combine into one unified force dedicated to tikkun olam, we become something bigger than we could have ever anticipated.